Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has been declared the winner of the rerun primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue having polled 410,682 votes.

Chairman, Rescheduled Election Committee, Sen. Basheer Lado, announced Alia as winner in Makurdi on Thursday.

Lado said the first runner-up was Dr Matthias Byuan who polled 14,592 votes while the second runner-up was Sen. Barnabas Gemade who scored 5,125 votes.

Prof. Terhemba Shija scored 2,217 votes, while Mr Michael Aondoakaa and Mr Iorwase Hembe scored 3,815 and 638 votes, respectively.

“The winner of the exercise is Alia. Having scored the highest vote cast. I declare him as the winner,’’ Lado said.

Alia’s candidature was later ratified by members of the party through a voice vote.

The party chairman, Mr Austin Agada had put a question to members seeking to know whether the result was a true reflection of what transpired in the field and they answered in the affirmative.

“Having ratified Alia’s candidature, I therefore, declare that Alia is the governorship candidate of the party in Benue,’’ Agada said. (NAN)